Due to the fragility of hand bones and their intricate interrelationship with cartilage and tendons, the hands of those persons involved in sports are particularly susceptible to injury. Protective devices for hands have been developed in a number of sporting fields. For example, a protective hand shield for skiers, that is attached to ski poles, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,545 issued to Dooley, Jr. et al. Also, a hand protector for those involved in martial arts sports is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,302 issued to Cannella. In baseball and softball the player position that is most susceptible to injury is that of the catcher, due to his location behind the batter, where he receives pitched balls at speeds of 90 miles per hour or more. In addition, when the pitched ball is tipped by the batter the rapid change of direction is difficult for the catcher to follow and exposes him to being struck by the ball.
Over the years numerous protective devices have been provided for the catcher, including leg protectors, also known as shin guards, such as those disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,826 issued to Parsons, Jr. et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,964 issued to W. F. Pender. With all the current protective devices now being worn by catchers, the greatest number of injuries now occur to the catcher's throwing hand that remains exposed to the unpredictability of pitched and tipped balls. Currently there is no protective device for the throwing hand, due to the fear that such protective devices will be too restrictive and will impede movement and will thus increase the time it takes the catcher to retrieve the ball from his glove.
There is a tendency for a young player to reach for the ball with his throwing hand, to keep his hand too close to the catching mitt or to let his throwing hand float out at his side where it can be struck by a tipped ball or a wild pitch. In some leagues current practice requires that a young catcher keep his hand behind his back when awaiting a pitch, in order to keep his throwing hand protected. The young player finds that it is difficult to keep his hand behind his back, as this is an uncomfortable and unnatural position that makes it hard for the player to maintain his balance and hard to maintain control of the ball. Therefore, the young player has a tendency to allow his throwing hand to move forward and float along his side, exposing it to injury. Older players may not make the same mistakes as the younger, inexperienced players; however, through overconfidence or carelessness they are frequently struck in the throwing hand by tipped balls and wild pitches.
Such injuries to the hands of catchers shorten the length of their careers and may result in younger players being unable to continue playing the sport. There is a need for a means of protection which will be used by both the young inexperienced players and the older experienced players.